Inactive

(i) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This annou... (i) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. (ii) The solicitation number is 75N95022Q00568 and the solicitation is issued as a request for quotation (RFQ). The anticipated award date is September 23, 2022. This acquisition is for a commercial item or service and is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13—Simplified Acquisition Procedures; and FAR Part 12—Acquisition of Commercial Items, and is not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. (iii) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) Number 2022-07, with effective date August 10, 2022. (iv) The associated NAICS code is 811219 - Other Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance and the small business size standard is $22M. This requirement has not set-asides to small business. (v) The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the nation’s leading medical research agency and the primary Federal agency whose mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability, conducting, supporting and making medical discoveries that improve people’s health and save lives. The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) is a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which mission it is to catalyze the generation of innovative methods and technologies that will enhance the development, testing and implementation of diagnostics and therapeutics across a wide range of human diseases and conditions. The Division of Preclinical Innovation (DPI) plans, conducts and uses both internal and contract resources to advance collaborative research projects across the preclinical phases of the translational science spectrum. The DPI requires annual maintenance agreement for On-chip Sort microfluidic cell sorter to be maintained in fully functioning order via preventative maintenance for one 12-month base year and two (2) 12-month successive option years. Without such a contract in place, repair costs are extremely high and instrument downtime is much longer causing a significant decrease in scientific productivity. (vi) The Statement of Work (SOW) with a description of the services to be performed is included as an attachment to this Solicitation. The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) Division of Preclinical Innovation (DPI) previously purchased the On-chip Sort microfluidic cell sorter. The On-chip Sort microfluidic cell sorter allows SCTL scientists to perform damage-free sorting of sensitive pluripotent stem cells for a range of end-point assays that require the highest possible level of viability preservation, especially single-cell genomic analyses like RNA sequencing and DNA copy number variant analysis. The SCTL uses an integrated technological approach to better understand pluripotent stem cell biology and thereby leverage drug discovery and regenerative medicine. Ongoing SCTL research projects focus on understanding molecular mechanisms regulating stem cell pluripotency and their multi-lineage differentiation capabilities, with a focus on defining optimum culture conditions for maintaining pluripotent stem cells and their conversion to homogeneous and mature population of differentiated cells. To achieve these aims, high throughput screening is employed to identify mechanisms/small molecules that aid in single cell cloning of stem cells. In addition, detailed high-resolution analysis of intermediate cell types during conversion of stem cells to differentiated cell types is being carried out to better understand regulators of directed differentiation. These projects will facilitate stem cell-based drug discovery and disease modeling in addition to meeting project milestones. The service plan ensures that the instrument is operating optimally, serviced at regular intervals, and assistance is readily available when necessary. To maintain the instrument in fully functioning, peak condition, scheduled preventive maintenance and service are required. (vii) The Government anticipates award of a firm fixed-price purchase order for this acquisition, and the anticipated period of performance shall be September 26, 2022 – September 25, 2023 (12-months) or at time of award. The place of performance shall be NCATS/NIH 9800 Medical Center Dr Rockville, MD 20850 (viii) The provision at FAR 52.252-1, Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998), applies to this acquisition. This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. The offeror is cautioned that the listed provisions may include blocks that must be completed by the offeror and submitted with its quotation or offer. In lieu of submitting the full text of those provisions, the offeror may identify the provision by paragraph identifier and provide the appropriate information with its quotation or offer. Also, the full text of a solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at these addresses: https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/hhsar/index.html (End of provision) The following provisions apply to this acquisition and are incorporated by reference: FAR 52.204-7, System for Award Management (Oct 2018) FAR 52.204-16, Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting (Aug 2020) FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors—Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Nov 2021) FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications—Commercial Products and Commercial Services (May 2022) FAR 52.222-48, Exemption from Application of the Service Contract Labor Standards to Contracts for Maintenance, Calibration, or Repair of Certain Equipment-Certification (May 2014) HHSAR 352.239-73, Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Notice (December 18, 2015) The clause at FAR 52.252-2, Clauses Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998), applies to this acquisition. This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at these addresses: https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/hhsar/index.html (End of clause) The following clauses apply to this acquisition and are incorporated by reference: FAR 52.204-13, System for Award Management Maintenance (Oct 2018) FAR 52.204-18, Commercial and Government Entity Code Maintenance (Aug 2020) FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions—Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Nov 2021). Addendum to this FAR clause applies to this acquisition and is attached. HHSAR 352.222-70, Contractor Cooperation in Equal Employment Opportunity Investigations (December 18, 2015) HHSAR 352.239-74, Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility (December 18, 2015) The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition and are attached in full text. Offerors MUST complete the provisions at 52.204-24 and 52.204-26 and submit completed copies as separate documents with their proposal. FAR 52.204-24 Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (Nov 2021) FAR 52.204-26 Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services-Representation (Oct 2020) FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Products and Commercial Services (May 2022) Invoice and Payment Provisions with and without IPP (Apr 2022) (ix) The Government will perform a comparative evaluation of responses in accordance with FAR 13.106-2(b) to award a purchase order from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose response meets the solicitation’s requirements and, as a whole, provides the best value, considering price and other factors in this solicitation. The evaluation will compare: (a) Technical capability of the service offered to meet the Government requirement; (b) Price; and (c) Past Performance as defined under FAR 13.106-2(b)(3). If only one quotation is received it will be evaluated on the preceding basis. The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s). Responses may exceed capability or performance characteristics of the solicitation’s requirements. The Government reserves the right, but is not required, to award to a response that exceeds capability or performance characteristics of the solicitation’s requirements if it provides a benefit to the Government; and the Government is not requesting or accepting alternate proposal(s). (x) The Offerors are to include a completed copy of the provision at FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Products and Commercial Services (May 2022), with offers. If the offeror has completed FAR provision 52.212-3 at www.sam.gov, then the offeror does not need to provide a completed copy with its offer. (xi) The clause at FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions—Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Nov 2021), applies to this acquisition. Addendum to this FAR clause applies to this acquisition and is attached. (xii) The following additional contract requirement(s) or terms and conditions as determined by the contracting officer are necessary for this acquisition and consistent with customary commercial practices. There are no additional contract requirement(s) or terms and conditions applicable to this acquisition. (xiii) The Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) are not applicable to this requirement. (xiv) Responses to this solicitation must include sufficient information to establish the interested parties’ bona-fide capabilities of providing the service. The quote must be for a firm-fixed-price total amount inclusive of all costs and fees and include . any other information or factors that may be considered in the award decision. The Unique Entity ID from SAM.gov, the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size must be included in the response. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov. All quotations must be received by 9 a.m., Eastern Time, on September 19, 2022, and reference Solicitation Number 75N95022Q00568. Responses must be submitted electronically to Renato Gomes at renato.gomes@nih.gov. Fax responses will not be accepted. Attachments: Statement of Work FAR 52.204-24, Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (Nov 2021) FAR 52.204-26, Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services-Representation (Oct 2020) Addendum to FAR 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions—Commercial Products and Commercial Services. FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders–Commercial Products and Commercial Services (May 2022) Invoice and Payment Provisions with and without IPP (Apr 2022)